Visit California announced Julie Coker has been named the organization’s next—and only its second—President & CEO, succeeding longtime leader Caroline Beteta, who earlier this year announced her retirement after more than three decades at the helm.
Coker will assume the role on Oct. 1, 2026, leading Visit California’s private industry-led nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the Golden State as a premier global travel destination. She will also serve as a strategic advisor to the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz).
A nationally respected tourism executive, Coker brings more than three decades of leadership across the hospitality and destination marketing industries. Most recently, she served as President & CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, where she led one of the world’s most recognized destination brands. Coker is also on the executive board of the U.S. Travel Association and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.
Her appointment follows a comprehensive global search conducted in partnership with SearchWide Global. The search was led by a committee of current and former Visit California board members, chaired by Ken Potrock, Chair of the Visit California Board of Directors and President of Major Events Integration at The Walt Disney Company.
“After a rigorous and wide-ranging global search, Visit California is proud to welcome Julie Coker as our next president & CEO,” Potrock said. “Julie is a proven leader who has delivered exceptional results in some of the most competitive and complex destination markets in the country. We are confident she is the right visionary to build on Caroline’s extraordinary legacy and reinforce California’s position as one of the world’s most compelling destinations.”
For more information on the Golden State, go to visitcalifornia.com.
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